ARSENAL manager Unai Emery has been told to scrap playing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as his only striker in favour of utilising a front-two with Aubameyang alongside Alexandre Lacazette.

The Spaniard’s tactics have been the subject of much debate after his first few games in charge in north London.

Emery replaced Arsene Wenger in the summer with the Frenchman departing the Gunners after 22 years at the helm.

And Emery’s attempts to imprint his demands on the current Arsenal squad have been met with difficulties with the team remaining defensively suspect and taking time to adjust to the expectation to press high, play out from the back defend with a high line.

Arsenal suffered back-to-back defeats to start the campaign before bouncing back at home to West Ham last weekend, responding well to going a goal behind by coming back to win 3-1.

Unai Emery has been told to try starting Aubameyang and Lacazette up top together (Image: GETTY)

Aubameyang and Lacazette have shown promising signs of an attacking partnership (Image: GETTY)

Related articles

Emery’s side face another winnable match this weekend away at Cardiff City, who have yet to win yet this season, although Arsenal have lost eight of their last nine away games in the Premier League.

And according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, Emery should experiment with starting Aubameyang and Lacazette up top together.

So far, Emery has started with the Gabon international leading the line alone in a 4-2-3-1 but Arsenal performed well once Lacazette was introduced from the bench at half-time against the Hammers with the two strikers linking well together.

And ex-Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Redknapp thinks that Emery should mix up his team a little bit ahead of this weekend’s trip to Cardiff (tomorrow, 1.30pm).

Redknapp wrote in his Sky Sports column: “I don't think any manager could [get this team into the top four], not at the moment. I just think it is going to take time.

“Arsenal have been falling further and further behind and I think Arsene Wenger has left Unai Emery with a badly-balanced squad with not enough quality in it.

Aubameyang and Lacazette have not started a match together yet (Image: GETTY)

Related articles

Alexandre Lacazette came off the bench to good effect against West Ham (Image: GETTY)

It's not a system he wants to play, but Aubameyang and Lacazette look good together.

Jamie Redknapp

“It's as simple as that. I don't care who the manager is - Pep Guardiola or whoever - it is going to take time and he needs it.

“I think they've got a good manager now, they needed to change, but when you want to play out from the back like he does, I think you've got to give it a bit of time because it doesn't happen straight away.

“My only worry with it is that I don't think he's got the personnel to do that, I really don't, but then comes the question of ‘Do you adapt or do you keep working that way even if you're going to make mistakes and concede goals?'

“I do think a subtle change might help and I think if they had done that against West Ham, again it's not a system he wants to play, but Aubameyang and Lacazette look good together.

“The look like a really good pair, they look dangerous and they look like two players you wouldn't want to play against. But, again, if he plays those two as a strike partnership, that means you're going to lose a player in midfield and it does become very difficult.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is awaiting his first goal of the season (Image: GETTY)

Alexandre Lacazette will hope to make his first start of the season at Cardiff (Image: GETTY)

“I do think playing those two at the moment would help them and make them a bit more exciting.

“It's not just me saying it, but they are outsiders to get into the top four. If he gets into the top four, for me, with that squad, it will be a great achievement.

“I just think about how they could look like a more dangerous side and it would be to play those two up front.

“The fans are calling for it, the two players themselves will like it, but as I said, what that does then is make it a 4-4-2 and that means there is a lot more work for the two in midfield and they haven't really got great energy in there.

“Granit Xhaka seems to struggle in there, he hasn't got the legs to get around and he's always going to get booked, so I feel it is very difficult for this team, they haven't got the legs or energy in midfield.

“How he changes it is not going to be that easy, but that is certainly one thing I would look at. Maybe more so at home where you know you're going to have more possession.”